Adjustable can-opener.



PATENTED DEC. s, 1903.

Fl Ill` ADJUSTABLE CAN OPENER. .A APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10; 1903.

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' UNITED STATES Patented December 8, 1903.A

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK L. STORK, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

ADJUSTABLE CAN-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 746,195, 'dated December 8, 1903. Application iled September 10, 1903. Serial No.'17'2.543. (Noinodel.)

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,FREDERICK L. STORK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Can-Openers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specication. p

Thisinvention relates to can-openers; and it consists of an improvement in the implement for nnscrewing and removing screw-threaded caps or covers from cans which was patented Y The object of the present improvement isY to further extend the utility of the aforesaid implement by adapting it .foropening cans other than those which have screw-threaded caps or eovers--for example, tomato-cans, &c.

Preceding a detail description of my invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1 is an illustration of my improved can-opener, showing the same in an operative position upon the head of a can. Fig. 2 isa view at right angles to Fig. 1, showing the implement removed from the can. Fig. 3 is a section on the line aa of Fig. 2.

In a detail description of my invention similar reference characters indicate correspond-l ing parts. A

A designates the handle, which of course may be of any suitable design. This handle is provided with a longitudinal opening, into and out of which a rack B is movable by means of a segment-gear C, having an extended handle D. The rack B is provided upon its outer end with teeth E, which curve downwardly and are designed in connectionvwith similar teeth F to grip the opposite edges of a screwthreaded cap or cover to remove the same by unscrewing it. The teeth F are on the outer end of the parallel bars F', between which there is a slot G. These bars'F' serve as guides for the rack B in its longitudinal movements in and out of the handle A. The toothed end E of the rack extends laterally over the parallel bars F on one side, and a transverse bar H extends in a similar manner on opposite sides of said bars F', so it will be seen that the rack B is maintained in a sliding connection throughout any part of the parallel bars F.

The bar H is rigidly attached to the outer end of the rack, and from said bar there extends downwardly a knife I, which is adapted to penetrate the head J of a can in cutting the same. -Theextreme outer end of the parallel bars-is provided with a spur K, which projects downwardly in a direction opposite that of the teeth F. This spur K is adapted to be projected into the head of the can at the center of said head, and thereby serves as a point upon which the implementis turned in a circle when cutting the head of a can by the knife or blade I.

The operation of the implement will be readl ily understood. The spur'or point K is pressed through the center of the head of the can. The handle D is then moved to a position tile reverse ot' that shown in the figures, in which position the segmental gear is out of engagement with the rack. The rack Bis then run out to a suitable extent to bring the knife I in a proper position relative to the spur K. The handle D is then drawn backwardly and is gripped by the hand which grips the handle A, and thus the rack is held in a fixed position While the implement is manipulated to cut the edge of the can.

The implement is adapted for any can that -has to be cut in order to open the same-such,

for example, as cans with soldered, cemented, or otherwise permanently attached heads.

Having described my invention, I claim- An adjustable can-opener consisting of a handle having an opening therein, parallel bars F' with intervening space, said bars being rigidly connected to the handle and terminating at their outer-.ends inone piece with a projecting spur K thereon, a rack movable bel tween said parallel bars, a transverse bar H connected to Lhe outer end of said rack, said bar having a knife I projecting therefrom, and a segment-gear pivoted to the handle and engaging with said rack, said gear' having an extended handle by which itis operated, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature presence of two Witnesses.

FREDERICK L. STORK.

Vitnesses:

R. J. MCOARTY, CAROLYN M. THEOBALD. 

